


on the other side of fear lies freedom

by BrightestStar1812



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Child Abuse, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Friendship, Hogwarts, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, James Potter is a Good Friend, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Teenage Drama
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:27:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26679715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrightestStar1812/pseuds/BrightestStar1812
Summary: A story of the infamous Marauders through their Hogwarts years, a story of friendship and love in the time of war and the reasons it was worth for them to fight. The fanfic is pretty light-hearted with much humor. It has some deep passages with angst too, but I'd say there is more comfort than hurt. These characters, 'the lost generation', they diserve their story to be told. Because there was a time, when they didn't have to always live in fear and watch their friends 'drop dead like flies', knowing that they could be next. There was a time when they laughed harder than anyone else, loved more and had problems like every other kid/teenager. It's quite hard to summarize this 'cause it' s a story that goes over years. Just one thing, Marlene is badass.I'm looking for co-creators!
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Sirius Black & James Potter, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin & Peter Pettigrew & James Potter, Sirius Black/Marlene McKinnon
Comments: 8
Kudos: 15





	1. Prolog

Sirius Orion Black is a very bright kid. He is loud and happy, he laughs a lot. He is brave and doesn't back down; never. He lights up every room he walks in, he is fascinated easily and very curious, especially when it comes to muggle things. He loves his little brother, is very protective of him. Unfortunately his family, save his brother Regulus, doesn't like him, you might even say hates him. For them he is too bright,they don't like when a child has its own opinion; too loud, the Blacks don't talk much; too happy, there aren't reasons to be happy; too brave, filthy Gryffindor trait and for sure THEIR heir isn't a Gryffindor; he brings too much light, but the Blacks like it dark; he's too curious, to know means to think for yourself and that means to have an opinion; he loves, but love doesn't matter, only blood does. But they will make him right, he is one of them, THEIRS after all; more a glorious possession than a son.

James Potter is just as loud, as bright, as brave. He is outgoing and happy, but before anything else, he is loved. He knows that whatever he does, his parents will be there for him. For them he's never too loud, too brave, too bright, for them he is just perfect. Sometimes James thinks his parents are angels, (those muggle creatures, who are kind to everyone, he read about them once), but then he thinks that all parents are, aren't they? Every child is loved by their parents, right? James hasn't many friends, he and his parents live pretty secluded. He'd love to have friends, because of course his parents love him and he loves them back, but that's just because it is what parents are supposed to do. Friends would love him because they'd choose to do so. But for now his parents love is more than enough.

Remus Lupin loves to read. When he reads he can escape reality and be in another world for some time. He is pretty shy, he isn't really keen on socializing, you might even say he's scared of contact with strangers. In another life he would be a child with the happiest of childhoods, loving parents, lots of friends and fun. But this isn't "another" life, this is the life he lives, a life in which every month he turns into a monster. This is the life in which his parents still love him, but maybe he sometimes doesn't love himself. This is the life in which he hasn't any friends for the fear of them finding out, what he really is. This is the life he is damned to live alone, of that he is sure.

Peter Pettigrew is kind. He isn't the most outgoing or bravest, but he values those that are. But then again he values a lot of things and a lot of people. He is one of the persons who admire rather than to be admired. Before anyone else he admires his mother, who lives alone with him, his father left years ago. His mother is a strong woman with the kindest of eyes, she always encourages the rather clumsy boy, she cared for him and she made the best chocolate biscuits. Them being the reason for the chubby statur of Peter. His mother and him hadn't much, but they had each other and that was enough.


	2. With new beginnings comes new hope

The 1st September 1971 was a bright day. The sun was shining through Sirius' window and lighting up the dark green walls of his room in Grimmauld Place 12. As soon as Sirius managed to blink the sleep from his eyes, he jumped out of bed. Today was a big day, maybe it would get the best day of his life. Even better than the day Dromeda hugged him, it was the first and only time somebody did that, it also was the last time he had seen his cousin. He stormed out of the room, the departure to Hogwarts that would take place in a little less than 4 hours meant freedom. And freedom was what Sirius cherrished the most in life, at least he thought so, after all he couldn't really tell how it felt to be free. When Sirius arrived at the top of the stairs, he stopped apruptly. Regulus was just standing there, staring at the stairs. "Reggie?" Sirius asked cautiosly "what's up?" Regulus turned around as if he just realised that someone was there. "It' s... It's just... Could we go down together, the house elf heads freak me out." Regulus asked in a small voice. "Yeah, course" Sirius answered immediatly, although a bit confused. When they were younger Sirius always had to accompany Regulus, who was terrified by the house elf heads, downstairs. Sirius would always say that he would protect him if the house elf heads decided to come to life in the exact moment they passed and would attack them. Sirius was never afraid of them, maybe because he had to be the strong one so Regulus wouldn't have to be, maybe that's just how he was. Sirius the brave and loud one and Regulus the caring, fragile and obedient one. The two brothers started to descend the stairs in silence, when they were nearing the end of the stairs Regulus suddenly blurted out :"You won't forget me, will you? When you're there at Hogwarts, even when you find new friends... You won't forget me or replace me, right?" "Reggie, of course I won't, how could I?" "Promise?" Regulus voice was now just above a whisper. "Promise" Sirius stated confidently, he had no intention to let Regulus perish on his own in the 'Noble and most psychotic house of Black'. Well, maybe that wasn't exactly what would happen, but he didn't want to take any chances. The two of them walked towards the door of the dining room, where like every morning, they found their mother with a cup of tea in her hands and a disapproving sneer on her face, a sneer she always saved for her eldest son. Their father was seated beside her with the newspaper in his large hands, grumbling about how those 'filthy, good-for-nothing mudbloods' where trying to take over the wizarding world, take it away from those who it really belonged to. Walburga Black could be a pretty woman, with all high cheekbones, a slim frame, thick black hair and dark eyes, would she not always wear a sneer or glare, she could be pretty. She had the coldest eyes anyone had ever seen. 'No, not the coldest', Sirius thought, 'his father had colder eyes.' Orion Black, a tall man with the same jet-black, wavy, trademark Black hair had grey eyes, the coldest eyes in the world. Sirius would never admit it, but no matter how much he hated that his mother would scream at him, hex him, occasionaly slap him, his father was worse. And Sirius Black, who always prided himself to not be afraid of anything or anyone was terrified of Orion Black. Sirius eyes, so much like his father's, trailed over the scene before him, as he caught his father's eyes, he quickly sat down and started to fill his plate with food that Kreachure, their house elf, had prepared, Regulus doing the same beside him. Today wasn't a day for being rebelious, Sirius knew that, he would not be loud or do anything else to annoy his parents and get himself another punishment. He would be free soon, it wasn't worth it. Sirius had a pretty hard time keeping his mouth shut and not questioning his parents statements, when they started to talk about the filth they had to face to come to the platform 9 3/4. But he managed to be quiet, today wasn't a day for questioning and fighting, today was a day of new beginnings.  
When they started for platform 9 3/4 Sirius felt like he was going to explode of joy or faint due to nervousness, whichever came first. At King's Cross station there were loads of muggles and Sirius was sure he looked like a fish, gaping at all those muggles, like they were some exotic animals. They really were fascinating. Sirius wanted to start for platform 9 3/4 when he felt his shoulder being caught in a strong grip. He was sure his father was holding him so tight that it would leave bruises. "Sirius" hissed Walburga "don't you dare get sorted into any house but Slytherin and you better won't bring shame to the family. Well more shame than you already brought us, anyway. And don't speak to any of that excuses for wizards, those disgusting mudbloods, halfbloods or blood traitors. If you won't do those things I promise that you will regret it. " Sirius stiffened, he wasn't entirely sure if it was because of his father's grip, that REALLY hurt by now or if it was because of his mother's words, probably it was both. After he nodded sharply, his father let go of him and both of his parents turned around without as much as a single word of goodbye. He watched them for a moment, then his eyes fell on his brother, who was watching him with kind darkbrown eyes. "I don't want you to leave... I don't want to be alone" Regulus whispered. "I don't want to leave you behind either... I'm sorry" Sirius apologised, even though he wished his brother would come with him, he wasn't sorry at all for leaving. For a moment he considered to hug Regulus, they didn't do that normally, it wasn't appropriate for members of the Black family, but he felt like a hug would help both of them. But in the next moment his mother belowed for Regulus, who quickly hurried away to catch up with their parents and the chance to show his little brother some affection, past. Sirius was left alone at King's Cross station and briefly wondered if he'd be able to get past the barrier to platform 9 3/4, but the doubt left his mind as quickly as it came. He was a wizard after all, a talented one at that and he wasn't one to back down from a challenge. Sirius took a deep breath, took good hold of his trunk and started running to the barrier. 'Muggles' , he thought, 'are really strange. Right here in front of them, we use magic, but their so caught up in their own stuff that they don't even notice. They just don' t see what happens right in front of them. Maybe mother and father are just the tiniest bit right and muggles really are a bit egoistic and self-centered'. Before he could even finish his thought, his surroundings had changed and he stood in the middle of wizard familiers, that where laughing, crying, hugging, kissing and saying their goodbyes. Sirius felt a little ache in his heart and wished, not for the first time, that his family could be like one of those. Up until the age of about 8 or 9, he thought that every family was like his, that that was just how it worked. He didn't know any better and how could he, when all he knew was the poor blood society. But one day, the day when his parents first used the Cruciatus on him, it was all too much and his accidental magic apparated him to London. There he walked around all day and could make a picture of how a family was supposed to be. But as much as he would like to, he knew very well that he couldn't change it so instead of the people around him he focused on the steaming scarlet train in front of him. 'This is it' he thought 'this might just be the day on which my life begins'. The train in front of him meant freedom, so he boarded it with slight fear in the back of his mind and lots of hope in his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the first 'real' chapter. What do you think? I'm sorry that it is this short, the next chapters will be longer, I promise. In the next chapter the Marauders are going to meet, well James and Sirius that is. I hope you enjoy it !! Hope you all have a lovely day, sweethearts. Keep smiling:)  
> Lots of love, Aria


	3. The Hogwarts Express

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A passage from this chapter is directly taken from 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' by J. K. Rowling. I just adjusted it slightly. I don't own it, nor do I own the characters.

As Sirius made his way to the train, a family of three occupied the place where he stood just mere moments ago. The elderly couple, probably the parents of the bespectacled, messy haired boy, kissed said boy goodbye and hugged him under tears. "Jamie, dear, promise to write us as often as possible, and try not to cause too much trouble. We'll miss you so much, love." Mrs. Potter said, while tears kept running down her cheeks. "Don't worry, love. He'll do just fine and we'll see him again in a few months." soothed Mr. Potter in an attempt to calm his wife down. He kissed her on the cheek and winked at his son. "Of course I will. You don't have to worry, I'm gonna be the greatest student Hogwarts has ever seen." James stated confidently, eyes flashing to the train every now and then. Of course he would miss his parents too, but he just couldn't wait to board the train and start a new adventure. So after some more hugging, kissing, more tears from his mother and a promise under his breath, that he would wreak havoc, to his father, James was finally allowed to board. As he went on the search for an empty compartment (or at least one that wasn't full), he mused that he wanted to be in Gryffindor, that he WOULD be in Gryffindor. Even though his parents assured him that they would love and support him whichever house he got sorted in, he felt like he was meant to be a Gryffindor and he also felt like his parents secretly hoped for him to be in the same house as them. Lost in his thoughts he didn't even notice that he crossed the whole train and now stood in front of the last compartment. He looked inside; in there was seated only one boy. He had black, silky and softly wavy hair, unlike his own it wasn't messy at all, it fell neatly. The boy's eyes were bright silver and seemed to shine like two little stars. In addition he seemed to be James' age, so he decided that he would ask to sit in this department. James slowly opened the door, as to not startle his potential new friend, he put on a bright smile and asked in a cheery voice:"D'you mind if I sit here?" "No, not at all, make yourself at home." grinned the other boy. 'I think I like him' thought James. "Sooo, who are you?" asked the silver eyed boy. "Right now I'm one of the happiest people on the face of earth, I'm so bloody excited for everything, can you imagine how many adventures await us? And I'm keen on meeting new people. I also heard so many stories of Hogwarts, I can't wait to see the Giant squid or the sky-like ceiling of the Great Hall. And Quidditch, you reckon they'll take first years?... I'm just incredibly happy. And you? " James babbled excitedly, barely able to stop himself from talking some more. The boy across from him smiled a wide smile and stated:" Well, I guess when that's who you are than we're pretty much the same person. But... I meant like, you know, your name? " "Oh, of course",James grinned sheepishly, "my name is James, James Potter." He thought that he saw an odd look cross Sirius' aristocratic features, but as soon as it came it was gone, so James just shrugged it of. "And you are?" he demanded, his confident grin back on his face. "I'm Sirius." That confused James greatly and he frowned a bit. "Yeah, well, that's great,... I guess? I mean I was serious too. My name is James Potter." "No, I mean Sirius is my name." Sirius said with a grin, that would be best described as half amused and half sheepish. "Really? What kind of parents do name their child that? I mean, no offence, it isn't like it's a bad name", James hurried to assure, as he comprehended how it might've sounded, "but, you know, I think your parents are either the people with the greatest sense of humor or they're just a bit mad." James immediately shut up. 'Great', he thought, 'just great. I meet someone, who seems nice and all I do is make fun of his name and offend his parents'. But the other boy, Sirius, didn't seem to mind and James thought that he even heard Sirius mumble 'the latter sounds more like them' under his breath. James was immensely relieved and started to like Sirius more and more. They started a lighthearted conversation about Quidditch and laughed a lot. As their conversation went on to other topics, it turned out that Sirius, too liked to play pranks. They both started to feel very comfortable around each other and felt like they already knew each other for years. It seemed like they were very similar over all and James felt like he found his 'other me'. He mused if it felt like this with every friend, this feeling of complete belonging and knowing each other from the first moment. Then another thought crossed his mind: were they even friends? Did he have to say something like 'hey, mate, want to be friends?', was it to early to even consider being friends? James, usually confident and assertive, was unsure, but when he looked up into Sirius' smiling eyes, he found himself relax. It would all work out, he didn't know the boy for long, but he had the feeling he could trust him. James was torn from his thoughts, when all of a sudden the compartment door was slammed open. A girl with red hair and tear-strained cheeks stood in the doorway. "Can I sit here for a bit?" she asked in a small voice. "Of course, come in." Sirius waved her to sit down and James nodded vigorously to express his agreement. The red-head girl sat down by the window and Sirius and James eyed her, unsure what to do. The boys' conversation had grown silent and they turned to watch at each other. James instinctively knew, that Sirius was thinking the same as him:'Should we say something and try to comfort her or should we act like she wasn't there, as to give her some space?' Just as James decided that he was going to say something a boy their age with greasy hair and an enormous nose stormed into their compartment without as much as a word. He headed straight for the ginger girl and ignored the other two. As the greasy haired boy started to talk silently to the girl, James and Sirius resumed their conversation as well, and the atmosphere soon was more relaxed. "But we're going!" the big nosed boy exclaimed rather loudly, exhilaration clearly audible in his voice. "This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!"  
The girl nodded, mopping her eyes, but in spite of herself, she half smiled.  
"You'd better be in Slytherin," said Grease, encouraged that she had brightened a little.  
"Slytherin?"James asked, before he could stop himself. 'Well, there's nothing wrong in expressing my opinion, might as well say what I think' James thought.  
"Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" James asked the boy lounging on the seats opposite him. Sirius did not smile.  
"My whole family have been in Slytherin," he said.  
"Blimey," said James, "and I thought you seemed all right!"  
Sirius grinned.  
"Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"  
James lifted an invisible sword.  
"'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad."  
Mr. Big nose made a small, disparaging noise. James turned on him.  
"Got a problem with that?"  
"No," said the greasy haired boy, though his slight sneer said otherwise. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy--"  
"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" interjected Sirius.  
James roared with laughter. Lily sat up, rather flushed, and looked from James to Sirius in dislike.  
"Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment."  
"Oooooo..."  
James and Sirius imitated her lofty voice; James tried to trip Snape as he passed.  
"See ya, Snivellus!" called James, rather proud he came up with such a fitting name, as the compartment door slammed shut. For a moment the two boys looked at the door, then they burst out laughing, leaning on each other for support. They laughed so hard James thought he wouldn't have enough air to breath. When they managed to calm themselfs down enough to sit up again, a thought crossed James' mind and he asked:"You said your whole family has been in Slytherin. Er...well, who is your family? I mean you haven't mentioned your last name before..." Sirius looked down and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Just as James, bewildered, thought that Sirius wouldn't answer anymore, he heard a whispered "Black." Sirius cleared his throat:"I'm a Black." James felt his jaw dropping and he spluttered:"Black as in 'the Blacks'?... Those.... Those horrible people, that..." He cut himself of, when he saw Sirius' gaze turn sad, as if he just accepted that James would hate him from now on. The sad look was quickly replaced with an unreadable expression and it looked like Sirius just waited for him to storm out of the compartment. James had heard many stories about the Blacks, he heard about the terrible things they've done, the horrible views they hold. Everyone with wizarding descent knew the Blacks and his parents had warned him to stay away from the lot of them. But then again his parents always told him not to judge people, before he really knew them. He really enjoyed Sirius' company and he wasn't sure if he was ready to give it up, just because of a fact that the other couldn't change. Well, in fact he WAS sure, he was sure that he wasn't ready to give up on Sirius. Realising that his mouth was still agape, he quickly closed it and smiled in a way he hoped was reassuring. "Well, you don't seem to be like the Blacks, that I heard stories about. I don't mind you being in that familily,... unless you... You don't have the same views as them, have you?" What started with a confident tone became a unsure question. Now it was Sirius' turn to gape. "No, of course I don't share their views", he spluttered, "but, you... I mean, I'd understand when... Y-you, you really don't mind?" James shaked his head, satisfied with Sirius' answer and with himself for assessing him correctly. "But, if... if you say that now, you can't take it back later, you know?" Sirius said, still unsure and unable to believe it. That made James' grin briden and even though he had really little experience with friends, he decided that he didn't want to let Sirius go either and so he simply said so:"I won't change my mind, don't worry. We're friends after all and friends stick together, no matter what!" At the end of his little speech James had jumped up and thrown his fist in the air. That made Sirius laugh a relieved laugh and James noticed satisfied that Sirius obviously didn't mind that James claimed them to be friends. 'Mum worried that I was to straight forward and would drive potential friends away. If she could see me now, I'll write to her later.' James thought triumphantly. "D'you reckon you could fry chips on those greasy git's hair?" Sirius asked suddenly and James, caught of guard, burst out laughing. "I reckon, you could. And if he had a cold, you would have lots of free dip to your chips, with a nose as gigantic as his." The boys snickered, even though the thought was a bit disgusting. They talked and laughed some more, never running out of things to say. Some time later they decided, that it was time to take a nap, if they wanted to be rested for the sorting and the feast (and maybe even their first night time adventure). Sirius leaned his head against the window, James climbed on the seats beside Sirius, stretched out and rested his feet on the other boy's lap. If Sirius minded, he hid it well. So the two boys slowly slipped into unconsciousness with the thought of the next awakening being the one just before getting to see Hogwarts. As they travelled to the land of dreams, Sirius felt the first time like he could belong and like someone might actually like him and James vowed to himself that he would stay friends with Sirius even when they got sorted into different houses. He knew that it might be an empty promise, but he just didn't want to think of losing his first friend, a person that he chose and that chose him. He would never admit it, because James Potter was fearless, but he did fear that Sirius might get sorted into another house. Still the hope and believe was stronger than the fear and as long as it was that way, the light would always overpower the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is my take on how it could have been, when James and Sirius first met. I really hope you like it, next up is the sorting and we will meet the other characters too. What do you say? If you have any suggestions, feel free to write them. Thanks for reading by the way. Smile!! :)  
> Lots of love, Aria <3


	4. of sorting hats and Giant squids

When the two boys next awakened, they had barely time to change into their robes, before everybody started to leave the train. Excitedly James and Sirius descended the train and looked around amazed. They noticed a giant man standing in the middle of the students. "Firs' year, here! Come 'ere, firs' years!" the man boomed, he had tangled, thick, black hair and an impressive beard. "Hello, everybody. 'm Hagrid.' m gonna accompany ye to the castle. We're gonna take boats, on the other side of the lake, 'ogwarts awaits ye! But not more than four in a boat, 'key?" The first years started to eagerly climb into the boats. James and Sirius headed for one, where there were already two boys seated. One of whom was rather tall, lanky and was wearing somewhat shabby clothes, the other was chubby with watery blue eyes." Hey, mind if we sit here?" asked Sirius cheerily, even though he and James already accommodated themselves. "Y-yeah, sure, why not?" the lanky boy answered shyly. "Soo, I'm James and this is Sirius, unfortunately his second name isn't Lee, I already asked him that." James chuckled, though the other two boys didn't seem to get the joke, "What are you're names?" James and Sirius smiled at them expectantly. "I'm Remus Lupin." said the shabby clothed boy without looking at them. "Peter Pettigrew", said the chubby one, while he was nervously shifting under the gazes of the other two boys. Suddenly they saw a head of blond waves run towards them. "Mind if I, I sit he-here?" asked the girl to which the blond hair belonged in between deep breaths, it looked like she just had a marathon behind her. Blue eyes studied the four boys for a moment, before James finally spoke up:"Yeah sure, come in!" He and Sirius moved closer togheter, so that the girl could sit. "But the man said that there could be only four people in one boat." Remus piped up and Peter hesitantly nodded his agreement. Smirks appeared on Sirius' and James' faces as they looked at each other. "It's not like they can put us in detention or something, school hasn't even started yet." James stated confidently. "You're worrying over nothing!" Sirius agreed. Before Remus could protest some more the boats started to move across the Black lake. So they turned their attention back to the girl:"Anyways I'm James, Remus, Peter and Sirius." James presented them all, always pointing at the boy who's name he just said, the girl followed this motion with her eyes, her eyes resting just a tad longer on Sirius than on the others. She tore her gaze away, slightly confused, and put on a bright smile:"I'm Marlene, Marlene McKinnon!" she exclaimed in a Scottish accent. They were halfway across the sea, when their boat, unlike the others, started rocking slightly. Then the loud voice of the giant man, Hagrid, rang out, startling a few students:"Now put ye heads down!" Remus and Peter immediately ducked, Marlene followed their example, but James and Sirius continued staring awestrucked at the castle that just came into view. "James, Sirius!" Remus tried to warn them. "Yeah?" they said in unison, wearing the same confused expression as to why everybody ducked. If it was anyone else, they would probably just go with the flow and duck, like everybody else, but they were James and Sirius, they wouldn't duck just because everyone else did. Not without knowing the reason. They probably wouldn't be themselves either if they had actually listened to what Hagrid said. So when they noticed wide-eyed that in this part of the lake, there were tree branches hanging very low, it was already too late. Both of them crashed face first into branches, with them being both on the same side of the boat, plus on their side being a person more than on Peter's and Remus' side, the boat capsized and all of them fell into the freezing, dark water of the Black lake. All the other students stared at the surface of the Black Lake, that was a beautiful reflection of the nightsky, in shock. In the next moments the stars on the surface of the lake started to shift and out came a giant squid with five children in his tentacles. The students looked awstruck at the squid as much as at the children he was holding. Three of those children, two black haired boys and a blond girl, were laughing almost maniacally and seemed to be having the time of their lifes. The chubby boy seemed like he was going to be sick and the lanky one seemed to be afraid to get it trouble. The squid arrived at the other side of the lake in no time and let the children down on the soft grass, before diving under the surface of the dark water once more. James, Sirius and Marlene, still laughing and clutching their slowly aching stomachs, high fived eath other and retold the story in about a 100 different variations until the other first years catched up to them and descended their boats. Peter and Remus didn't seem to share their enthusiasm at all. Following the others to the big entrance of Hogwarts, still dripping wet, they started to shiver. Still they could appreciate the wonderful and magical picture the old castle offered. In the doorway stood a stern looking witch with her balck hair in a tight bun. "Thank you Hagrid, from here I will take over." she said, eyeing the new students. Her eyes fell on the five dripping wet students, she shot them a disapproving look while casting a quick Scrougify. She returned her attention to all the kids in front of her."Come in!" When all first years were gathered in front of her, she explain what would await them:" I'm Professor Mcgonagall, Hogwarts' transfiguration professor. I'm going to accompany you to the Great Hall, where the older students already wait and where your sorting will take place. There are four houses: Rawenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Slytherin. You will get sorted into the house which represents your strenghts and values the best, which doesn't necessarily mean that you don't have any trait from the other houses. If you would follow me now, please." Whispers broke out between the students, they all wondered what they had to do to get sorted. The most popular theories were the following:fighting against a dragon or dipping your had in water and when you got out your hair would have changed to the colours of the house you would be in. Most students hoped for the latter. When they entered the Great Hall, they were relieved there wasn't a dragon waiting for them. In fact there was just a really old looking hat on a chair. The muggleborn first years wondered if they had to pull out a rabbit out of hat , the poorblooded wizards didn't get that at all. What had a rabbit to do with it all? All of a sudden the old hat started to sing, it just SANG. Throughout the song the first years started to feel more nervous by every minute, some were even shaking. This hat would define their future to a certain extend, their house would be their family at Hogwarts after all. James and Sirius looked at each other uncertainly, neither of them wanted to say it out loud, but they both had the same thought: Would this be it? Would they go separate ways from here on? But James remembered what he promised himself on the train and tried his best to give Sirius a reassuring smile, that he hoped would tell Sirius that they would stay friends no matter what. Sirius got what James wanted to say with that smile perfectly, but managed only a somewhat convincing half-smile in return. In the next moment the first student was called out by Mcgonagall to be sorted. She told 'Abbot Matthew' to sit down on the chair and put on the hat. The first year students watched expectantly what the hat would do. But in fact it did nothing, after about a minute it just called out "HUFFLEPUFF" and that was were 'Abbot, Matthew' headed with a smile, under much applause especcialy from the Hufflepuffs. Next was 'Avery, Victor', who was made a Slytherin, after him 'Baker, Olivia' got into Ravenclaw. Mcgonagall rolled out her parchment again, "Black, Sirius", she called out next. Sirius swallowed hard and made his way to the chair. The Great Hall has gone silent, he was the heir to the most powerful wizarding family in Britain after all. Sirius sat down and put on the hat, that immediately covered his eyes. 'Ah, right, a Black...', Sirius jumped when he all of a sudden heard a voice. He then realised that it had to be the hat that had been talking. 'All Blacks were in Slytherin, so...', the sorting hat cut himself of, 'but there is more...' The hat was silent for a moment, then : 'You have a very bright mind, my boy, one of the brightest I have seen in a long time. You would do great in Rawenclaw, but then again, you aren't really one to respect authorities , are you? Very loyal heart I see as well, but other than that you aren't really a Hufflepuff, no,no...You are quite cunning and are a Black, how does Slytherin sound to you?' Just as Sirius wanted to answer, the sorting hat went on:'I see great bravery as well, even though it is mixed with recklessness, now tell me boy, where would you see yourself?' It took Sirius a moment to process everything the sorting hat just said, additional to that he felt the students in the Great Hall start to whisper, 'why does the dorting hat even bother with him, he's a Black, everybody knows he is going to end up in Slytherin'. Sirius felt hope rise in his heart, could he really be different, be free from his family? But then fear overtook him, what would his family do when he wouldn't be in Slytherin? Then he thought of James, he could be in the same house as him. To ask the head to be sorted into Slytherin would be the easy way, but was the easy way the better way? Could he live with those snakes for seven years? He was sure that there were nice people in Slytherin too, his favourite cousin Andromeda was a Slytherin, but would the good people outweight those with the horrible prejudice and wrong ideas? He doubted it greatly. He made a decision, because his hope outweighted the fear. "I don't want to be in Slytherin." Sirius thought. He heard the hat chuckle, 'I know that, I saw it, you were the one that had to figure it out. Listen to me, my boy, life can be a great challenge, but remember that on the other side of fear lies freedom. To stand up against your parents is the bravest thing you could have done, so there is no doubt in which house you belong. Believe me, this life will challenge you and perhaps you will doubt todays' decision, but life favours the brave, so take the challenge. Now go out there and be free in... GRYFFINDOR!' The last word was audible for the whole Great Hall. Everybody went silent and stared at Sirius with open mouthed, it was rather comical. In any other situation Sirius would have laughed at the many fish faces and would have offered them to open an aquarium for them, but right now he was to shocked to even move. After a moment he snapped out of his shock and slowly started to move towards the Gryffindor table, everybody following his every step with their eyes, while they were still gaping at him. It seemed like there were miles between him and the table and he started to feel very uncomfortable. Sirius just wished that the sorting continued, but even Mcgonagall seemed too shocked to read out the next name. Then all of a sudden a single applause was heard, Sirius looked up from the ground, that had seemed very interesting to him in the past few moments and saw James applaude enthusiastically, while grinning from one ear to the other and jumping up and down in joy. Sirius felt a smile of his own form on his lips, soon Dumbledore joined the applause, which was enough for the Great Hall to follow his example. When Sirius sat down and the sorting continued, he dared to look around, he saw the Slytherins glaring at him from the other side of the room, the Gryffindors were eyeing him somewaht suspiciously, but he decided that he didn't mind. For the moment he was just happy. There were nine more people sorted into Gryffindor, that was pretty little compared to other years. Slytherin and Hufflepuff were the houses with the most addition this year. His fellow first year house mates were: 'Evans, Lily', the fiery redhead from the train, 'Fortescue Alice', a girl with brown hair and a kind face, 'Lupin, Remus', the lanky boy from the boat, 'McKinnon, Marlene', the girl with hair the coulour of the sun, 'Macdonald, Mary', a girl with honeybrown long hair and a shy smile, 'Meadows, Dorcas', a pretty dark skinned girl, 'Pettigrew, Peter', the other boy from the boat, 'Vance, Emmeline', a rather tall girl with lightbrown hair and of course 'Potter, James'. The hat barely touched James' head before it called out his house. He grinned a bit arrogantly and threw himself on the seat beside Sirius. "I told you we would make it!" he exclaimed still grinning broadly. Sirius couldn't remember James saying such a thing, but didn't care enough to point that out. Today nothing could bring him down, not even the glares and stares from the other students. Today was to good, nothing could ruin it, not even the fact that his cousin Narcissa was frantically scribbling something on a piece of parchment. He was sure that she was writing to his parents, but it didn't really matter, not toady. Today he found a friend, his first ever friend and today he was finally free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in todays' chapter the sorting took place and all characters were at least introduced. What do you think so far? I hope you're all doing great. You're beutiful, smile:)  
> Lots of love, Aria <3


	5. Update

An update! After months of nothing finally an update!!  
This story is NOT discontinued, I'm sorry I didn't post in such a long time, but I focused on another story I'm working on.  
I thought and came to the conclusion that it would be better if I had some co-writers, so if anyone would be interested, please write to me.  
It's much more fun together anyway, as this will be a Marauder story that stretches over several years, so Marauder community, let's do this together!!  
I have a few ideas for the story line and events that I'd like to happen, but honestly there's so much more space for all kinds of ideas and events!!  
But even if you don't want to co-create this work and just fangirl (or - boy) over the Marauders with me write to me and trust me it will be fun!!  
I'm looking forward to meet anyone interested!!  
Lots of love Aria<3

P.s. If you would like to write to me about my other work or throw in ideas, that's welcome, too, of course xx

My Email: Arianagree151@gmail.com

**Author's Note:**

> So this is just the prolog. The rest of the story will be written in a "story-telling" way. Well, don't know if that makes sense, I hope you understand what I mean,hihi. I'd appreciate every comment and try to update as often as possible. What do you think, how do you like it so far? I also might change the title, I am not 100 % satisfied with this one, yet. Hope you're all good and have a nice day. Don't forget to smile, it suits you!  
> Lots of love, Aria


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